Enrichment Activities for the Beginning of 3rd Grade

Enrichment activities are lessons outside of the traditional curriculum.

Classroom enrichment activities break the routine of regular lessons and expand on pupils' learning. Enrichment activities can be project-focused and interactive, and they should be fun. An enrichment activity offers the opportunity to experiment with what helps students learn, because they are not tied to a curriculum or traditional teaching methods.

Class Contract

Creating a class contract teaches pupils about putting promises in writing. Explain to the class that a contract is a promise and an agreement. Divide pupils into groups and have them discuss what good teachers and good pupils should do. Create the contract on chart paper, beginning with a statement like "I, as the teacher"; list agreed-upon commitments, and sign it. Create another statement such as "We, as pupils," write the agreed commitments and have each pupil sign his name.

Homework Hanger

An art enrichment activity for the beginning of third grade is to have pupils create a homework hanger to use at home. Pass out lightweight cardboard in the shape of a door hanger like "Please Do Not Disturb" signs at hotels. Have pupils paint them. Later in the day or the next day, after they dry, have pupils decorate their homework hanger with cutout shapes, glitter and a message such as "Homework in Session" or "Genius at Work." Tell pupils to use their homework hanger at home to let family members know they are serious about their homework.

Flight and Motion

Start the beginning of third grade with enrichment activities that will lead to lessons later in the year about flight and motion. Flight and motion enrichment activities center on experimenting with gravity, distance traveled and wind direction. Pupils work in groups and are given a problem to solve along with all of the materials they will need. Instruct the pupils to first write down any predictions they have before starting the enrichment activity and then write about the results of the activity. Have pupils report their predictions and their results to the class.

Abstract Concepts

Abstract concepts activities require pupils to use higher-level thinking, which leads to strong reasoning skills. Instruct pupils to compare and contrast, for example, summer vacation and the beginning of the school year, a cat and a dog, or the differences among a story's characters. Then have pupils classify the differences to find a way to place them in groups, such as happy characters versus unhappy characters.

References

• About Academic Enrichment Activities: What Is an Enrichment Activity?
• University of Connecticut: The Schoolwide Enrichment Model
• ProTeacher: First Day of School
• The Teachers Corner: Art Lesson Plans & Activities -- Homework Hanger
• Academic Enrichment Activities: Flight and Motion
• Education: Enrichment Activities and Resources for Gifted Children